Smart moves by sellers, part two....

The temperatures have dropped precipitously in the last week or so, down about 25 degrees and, if the trend continues, next week I won't be running air conditioners.

One seller is already in front of the curve. I showed up and the receipts for the air conditioner service and furnace service were sitting on the table. My client joked that the seller had made it easy for me since I didn't have to check them now.

He was wrong about that - I have to check anyway since it is part of the Standards of Practice for Washington State. And, occasionally, I'll find something that the service technician missed. Hard to believe, but they are human and subject to the same foibles as the rest of us.

But the comment struck me as really interesting. The proof of service was very reassuring to the buyer and helped her feel much more comfortable with the mechanical systems. When I tested them and looked for problems, I couldn't find any which just built on the sense of security that she had.

So, we're reaching the time of year where everybody tells you to service the furnace to get ready for winter. I'm going to borrow some smart moves by sellers and suggest that you should service it to help make your potential buyer more comfortable with the home, especially if the furnace is an older one. Proof of your good intentions combined with the assurance that a professional or two have signed off on the equipment can be a powerful inducement to action.

Smart moves by Sellers is an on-going series of articles that will hopefully help you make your home more salable. if you have specific questions you would like me to answer, please email me or leave a comment.